


186 - Photographer Reader is Bob's BFF & Goes on Tour

by storiesaboutvan



Category: Catfish and the Bottlemen (Band)
Genre: F/M, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-13
Updated: 2019-01-13
Packaged: 2019-10-09 03:57:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17399606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/storiesaboutvan/pseuds/storiesaboutvan
Summary: Filling the prompts "fic about van dating a photographer? it would be cool if the photographer was on tour with Catfish for a magazine article assignment." and "being Bob's friend and going out for a night shoot with him where Van tags along by accident"





	186 - Photographer Reader is Bob's BFF & Goes on Tour

Day 1

You got the job because of Bob. He was your only connection to the music industry, but because you'd known him since you were seven, you didn't feel too bad in exploiting that connection. In reality, he was the one that invited you out on tour. It had been a while since someone properly documented their antics, and he respected you as a photographer. He also was notoriously private. You knew when to not take the shot and you had a sixth sense for when something wonderful was about to go down. So, on a cold morning you boarded the same plane as the guys and sat in your seat between Bob and Van.

"I really don't mind if you want the window seat," Van said for the third time.

"Said I'm fine. I'm smaller anyway, so this makes sense," you replied with a shrug. He nodded, then turned his attention to pulling Larry's hair between the seats in front of him.

 

Day 5

"Oh, hey. Thought you were all going out for drinks?" you asked Van. He was sitting in the hotel hallway, on the floor with his back to the wall. His legs were stretched out in front of him and he had an acoustic guitar in his lap. 

"They all did. I got a bit of a headache but,"

"Why you out here then?" you asked as you took his photo. He gave you a lop-sided smile and shrugged.

"Bit silly, really,"

"What?"

"Don't like being alone. Especially not if I don't feel good. Thought if I sat out here I might get to talk to people as they walk past,"

"What people?" you asked.

"Like, just people stayin' in the hotel. I don't know. See? Silly," he said, standing up. You stepped closer and held your hand to his head.

"You don't feel hot. Me and Bob are going to go out and take some photos if you want to come? It will be quiet, but you won't be alone," you offered.

"I don't wanna intrude on your thing or anythin' like that," he said.

"Please. Come on. Grab a jacket, meet us downstairs in five, yeah?"

…

Bob had a little path through the city mapped. Anywhere that good night photos could take place was marked. Van trailed along behind you and Bob quietly. He'd stop and look around with a smoke between his lips when you were taking pictures. You caught a lot of good ones of him. His cheekbones made him naturally photogenic.

"You don't look that impressed," you whispered in his ear. Van was sitting along a low wall of a lookout. The city lights twinkled. It had taken two buses to get to the location. You sat on the wall next to him.

"Could see this on Google," he said with a shrug.

"You could, but someone still would have had to trek all the way up here and take a good fuckin' photo first,"

"True, but people like you do that. People like me like being down there with everyone else,"

"So we aren't the same type of person then?"

"Nope. You're a Bob-type. I'm a… me-type. That's good though. Don't need many mes in the world. More yous is the way of the future," he said grinning and waving a hand through the air.

"I don't know what that means at all, but it's a beautiful sentiment, Van McCann. I don't think there are any other people like you in the world. You're the only you-type."

He looked at you and smiled. It was a small smile, which was uncharacteristic for him. Van either smiled with his entire face in an explosion of sunshine or he was straight faced. The little warm smirk he had was new. You took a photo before he could change it, but that one would be just for you.

"Thank you," he said.

"You guys ready?" Bob asked, walking up from where he'd been. He had a stray leaf in his hair and Van pulled it out.

"Keepin’ this for something, mate?" he asked Bob.

 

Day 8

Maybe it was stupidity. Maybe it was brilliance. Either way, it was entertaining. Dani was visiting Benji, and you were in their hotel room with them and Bondy. She was standing in the bathroom straightening her hair.

"Have you ever straightened his?" you asked. Her face lit up.

"Dani, no," he said immediately.

"Dani, yes!" she said and pulled him into the bathroom. You watched as she combed conditioner into his hair and brushed it out.

"Can Bob be next? Where's he at?" Bondy said from his spot on the bed.

"I'll get him!" you volunteered.

You found Bob with Van in the hotel bar and quickly pulled them back to the room. Dani blow dried Benji's hair and then straightened it.

"Don't you dare take a fuckin' photo," he said pointing at you. The camera caught that exact moment. Bob made an uneasy sound. He edged closer to the door.

"Bob's tryna' make a break for it," Bondy pointed out. Dani stuck her head out of the bathroom door.

"Sit," she ordered. He made the sound again.

"Mate. If this is happenin' to me, it's happenin' to you," Benji said.

You couldn't work out who looked weirder with heat flattened hair. Van was beside himself, cackling with hysterical laughter. That in and of itself was almost funnier than the hair situation. A whole roll of film could have been dedicated to immortalising Van's happy laugh. When he calmed down you sat side by side with him on a bed, your backs to the headboard.

"This your idea?" he asked.

"Kinda,"

"Fuckin' class, Y/N." 

He looked at you a little longer than appropriate, then went back to watching his band. Someone put on The National, and you felt warm and comfortable and safe. Slowly, your head rolled to the side and rested on Van's shoulder.

"You fallin' asleep, babe?" he whispered. A small squeak in reply and you let him wrap an arm around you. He kissed the top of your head and moved your camera safely to the bedside table.

 

Day 10

"Still wanna come out for a smoke?" Van asked. You'd told him to let you know when he was going to disappear for a cigarette. Not to glorify smoking, but he looked very fucking good while doing it. You nodded and followed him from the backstage area out to the street. "So, like the tourin' life?"

"Yeah, I do. Like, it's weird to be living with the subject of the photos, you know? It's a different experience to one of the photoshoots with strangers, or taking shots of my friends,"

"We your friends now?"

You smiled at the purity of the question. Nodding, you said, "Yeah. Course."

"Good, good."

Van finished his smoke and flicked it across the road. You hoped a bird wasn't going to pick that up and try to eat it for dinner. He came to lean against the wall with you. He was unnecessarily close, his arm pressed against yours, but he was kind of always like that. Since inviting him out with you and Bob, he'd always find his way to the space near you. Sometimes he even kicked whoever was sitting next to you out of the spot.

"Would 'ave been torture to come all the way out here then just dead hate us," he said. You nodded in agreement.

"Probably would've just gone home,"

"Yeah… But I'm glad you're here. Really am." His voice turned to a whisper halfway through his statement. You were looking at him, and he rolled his head to look back. His hand came up to run a finger along your arm, and when goosebumps broke out along your skin, Van smiled. Heat and electricity started to course through your body. You wouldn't move to let it all out, so your toes started to wiggle in your boots. You were still and watched Van lick his lips. He looked down, contemplating something, his eyebrows knitting together for only a second, then his eyes flicked back up to yours. He moved slowly, gauging your reaction. When you mirrored him, getting closer, he smiled and kissed you.

Van as a person wasn’t really what you expected. The impression you'd formed of him had been through videos of interviews and stage. The stories Bob told of him were always the wild ones. It meant that Van's quiet and his softness and his thoughtful introspection were completely unanticipated and a beautiful surprise. His kisses though, they were exactly as you had expected.

He kissed for the fun of it, but underneath the rolling tongue and awkwardly grinning lips, there was a neediness. He kissed to say he liked you and he needed you to like him back. Easily and obviously, you did.

 

Day 12

There were only a couple days left on tour. Two more shows on successive nights. Day twelve was a day off though, and you'd each had your own hotel rooms. Sleeping for a solid eight hours, when you woke up to a soft knock on the door, you could not have been happier. Van was standing in the doorway in his version of pyjamas - underwear, whatever socks he had on the day before, and an old t-shirt he never wore anymore.

"Did you walk through the hotel like that?" you asked with a smile as you let him in. He followed you into the bed.

"Just across the hall," he replied, curling around you under the blankets.

In the time since Van first kissed you, there had been many more kisses. Nobody seemed surprised, nor did they provide any sort of reaction. At first you had a little moment of panic when you thought maybe that was because it was commonplace for Van to be kissing people so openly; that you were one of many. You'd spoken to Bob that night though. "Been waiting for it," he replied when you asked if he was okay with it. It was potentially premature, as it wasn't like you were engaged… you'd kissed only a handful of times at that point. But, it felt natural and good. "Van's been asking me stuff about you since the tour started."

In the hotel bed with the mid-morning sun being blocked out by heavy blinds, it was the first time you were really alone. The bus, backstage, cafes in cities, they didn't count. There was always the threat of someone walking in. Suddenly, the spectacular isolation made you nervous. Van seemed to be revelling in it though. He pulled his t-shirt off and started to kiss your neck. 

Giggling, he pulled away and looked at you, eyes narrowing.

"What?" you asked. 

"I can feel your pulse. Goin' a million miles an hour. You alright?" No. You weren't. Shirtless, he was sharp collarbones and hidden freckles and snail trail. You nodded. He smirked, then pulled you back close. "So, after the tour, what's gonna happen?"

"Uh…" You were breathless and shaky and distracted. "What do you want to happen?"

"We can probably get married in a couple of weeks, yeah?" You laughed and pushed him away. "Babe!" he called and wriggled back closer, his hands disappearing under your shirt. "Just jokin'. Nah, but this is a thing now, yeah? 'Cause I like you proper and you obviously like me,"

"Obviously," you repeated in a mocking tone.

"So… Don't know, but we'll work it out, yeah? If you want that?" He looked up at you, waiting for confirmation.

"I want that."

 

Day 15

The flight home was long, but it was more comfortable than the flight over. You could snuggle into Van's side and sleep through most of it. When you woke up he had a notebook out and was scribbling things down in messy writing you could hardly read. Did he do that on purpose, so that nobody could decipher his ideas? Or was he just trying to make his hand keep up with his mind?

Sitting up, you looked around. Most of the others were asleep. Bob was awake though and you smiled at him. He smiled back, then looked down at where Joe was asleep on his shoulder. There was a puddle of drool. You mouthed 'wake him up?' Bob shrugged and went back to his book. You really owed him. There was the obvious amazing opportunity to work as a photographer for two weeks. The experience and connections made were immeasurable. More than that, you owed him for Van.

"You okay? Want tea or anythin'?" Van asked. You turned back to him, smiling sleepy and shaking your head.

"Nah. I'm good.”


End file.
